THREE TO SEE
Lure
Chameleon, video still, 2012 © Helen Sear
FROM COMMON DIFFERENCES
Various Artists, St David’ s Hall Expanding upon Diffusion’ s overall question of“ where are we now?”, From Common Differences explores themes of locality, community and otherness in order to create a multi-perspective dialogue that challenges the capacity of journalism and photography to challenge crucial issues in the 21st century, and regional issues related to identity and locality. A stark and thought provoking exhibition.
The Time Machine
Lindosol Power Station: Control Room( frontal view) 2012 © Edgar Martins
Victoria from Feminist, 2011 © Catrine Val
meaning of the photograph in contemporary visual culture with a keynote address by internationally renowned artist Richard Wentworth. Throughout the month there will also be free exhibitions, artist talks and workshops, schools’ programmes and photographic rambles around the city. The Diffusion Publishing Weekend takes place from Sat 25-Sun 26 May with the Photo Book Fair, and on the same Saturday, the festival will also incorporate the already well-established Photomarathon event: a mass participatory creative photography competition. Ffotohive sees Ffotogallery Education team up with David Boultbee from the BREAD art collective to produce five online artworks which will only exist with the input of the general public. To get involved visit one of the five designated hives around the city, take a photo and tweet it to the project using the hashtag available at the hive and on the festival website. Over the monthm an interactive collage of the heart and soul of the capital will then be captured for all to see online. Pop-up exhibitions and the use of big screens will aim to further involve those perhaps initially unaware of the festival, and for those willing to get involved, the Diffusion website provides the perfect launchpad for many of the interactive photographic experiences. These immersive elements perfectly suit the festival’ s aim of breaking down any financial barriers, and
High-rise
High-rise( 23rd, bar) 2007 © Peter Bobby
with most events and exhibitions free to attend, the festival aims to encourage people to overcome any fear they might harbour over visiting art exhibitions or venues they may have not previously considered.“ We want people to perhaps be surprised by the fact that they like things that they didn’ t expect to like. For example we’ ll be featuring camera-less photography at the exhibition,” adds David.“ For me, photography is a very important medium in terms of expressing people’ s lives and experiences, but it is also a completely open creative medium for people to work in. Diffusion highlights the role of photography as arguably the world’ s most democratic and visible medium; to record contemporary life as lived, to represent urban and rural experience, and to imagine a future-orientated new European identity.” Encouraging people to think more broadly about visual art, Diffusion explores a world of photography in a new and stimulating way that will offer a huge number of opportunities for the general public and photography enthusiasts alike to get involved and discover the world through a range of new and intriguing perspectives.
Diffusion Festival, various venues throughout Cardiff, Wed 1-Fri 31 May. Admission: free. Info: 029 2034 1667 / www. diffusionfestival. org
Happiness in Lithuania, 2012 © Mindaugas Ažušilis
EUROPEAN CHRONICLES
Various Artists, The Cardiff Story Another collective exhibition with artists exploring their own personal perspectives on Europe and it’ s diverse cultures and people. The exhibition also sees the launch of European Prospects, a two-year project examining the role of photography and digital media in presenting an alternate view of Europe and European experience.( pic above)
THE BROTHERS
Elin Hoyland, Norwegian Church Arts Centre Focused on the relationship between Harald and Mathias Ramen, two brothers who’ ve grown up together on a rural farm in Norway, The Brothers captures the pair’ s comforting routine which they’ ve enjoyed for many years without great distraction of change. Hoyland’ s work is beautifully framed and extremely contemplative in the apt setting of the Norwegian Church Arts Centre in Cardiff Bay.
BUZZ 11